Talking-machine for moving-picture apparatus



w. M. CLARK. TALKING MACHINE FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED JULY 12, I915.

Patented Feb. 8,1921

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed July 12, 1915. Serial No. 39,325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM M. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and use- Moving-Picture Ap )aratus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved form of phonographic apparatus which is specially applicable for use in connection with moving picture apparatus; Heretofore there has been a great deal of difficulty in working phonographic, apparatus satisfactorily in synchronism with a moving picture projector, and I have a device and new means for running the two in a satisfactory and reliable manner.

Among the objects of my invention are the provision of means for connecting the projector shaft and the driving shaft of the phonographic apparatus; the provision of improved means for controlling the phonographic records, and the provision of certain details and feautres of improvement tending to increase the efiiciency and serviceability of apparatus of the above character.

To accomplish the foregoing and other useful ends I provide means hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 shows in detail the driving and controlling mechanism in the phonograph apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a detail with parts shown in section of one of the bearings in Fig. 1 showing how it is pivoted.

Referring to Fig. 1, the shaft 29 is the driving shaft and carries a worm gear 30. This worm gear engages the gear wheel 31, which is rigidly secured to the hollow shaft 32. This shaft 32 is sustained by the bearing 33, which is in turn secured to a main frame 34. The hollow shaft 35 to which is permanently secured the fly wheel 36 is locked in driving engagement with the shaft 32, but nevertheless this shaft 35 may be raised and lowered, while in driving engagement with the shaft 32, through the medium of the lever 37. Upon this lever 37 is pivotally mounted the bearings 38, which sustain the shaft 35. These bearings, as shown in Fig. 2, are supported by the trunnions 39, so that the rotary movement of the lever 37 about the pivot 40 to which the shaft 37 is secured, will not operate to throw the shaft 35 out of alinement. The trunnions 39 engage the housing 41 of the bearings 38 in horizontal slots 42, so as to ful Improvement in Talking-Machines forpermit the trunnions 39 to move from left to right and from right to left, as the lever 37 rises and falls. Within the hollow shafts 32 and 35 there is a shaft 43, to the upper end of which there is attached the disk supporting plate 44. This shaft and disk are made of light material, so as to insure a low inertia, in order that the plate 44 may be started and stopped very quickly. The shaft 43 is provided with bearings 45 in a suitable housing 46, which is built upon the under side of the main frame 34. Near the lower end of the shaft 43 there is provided a disk 47, which is permanently fixed to the shaft. Below this disk there is provided a hand wheel 48 for controlling the shaft 43. On the upper surface of the plate 47 there is provided a leather surface 49. Just above this leather surface there is a plate 50 supported by the link 51 to the post 52, which is a part of the frame 34. This link 51 is pivoted at the points 53 and 54. The plate 50 is also sustained by another link 55, which is secured to the lever 37. This link 55 is pivoted at the points 56 and 57. The under side of the plate 50 is also provided with a leather surface 58. The upper side of the fly wheel 36 is provided with a felt surface 59, while the under side of the record holding disk 44 is likewise provided with a felt surface 60..- The lever 37 is controlled by a cam wheel 61, which wheel is in turn controlled by the solenoid 62, the core 63 of which carries a pawl 64. It will be seen that when the shaft 29 is rotated, the fly wheel 36 is rotated through the medium of the worm 30, gear wheel 31, and shafts 32 and 35. Now, if the solenoid 62 is energized, the plunger 63 raises the pawl 64, which latter by engaging the tooth wheel 65 rotates the cam wheel 61 until the pawl 64 strikes the bumping post 66. As a result,

the tooth 67 on the cam wheel 61 by engaging the pin 68 on the lever 37, raises'the lever, the pin 68 resting for the time being on the top of the tooth 67, even though the magnet 62 deenergizes and the plunger 63 be withdrawn. As a result of raising the lever 37 the fly wheel '36 is raised into engagement with the disk 44, whereupon the disk 44 immediately starts rotating with the fly wheel 36 and at the same speed. This occurs with practically no slipping between the surfaces 59 and 60, and therefore the disk 44 attains its. maximum speed almost instantly, and in fact, instantly for all practical purposes. This rotation of the disk 44 continues until the magnet 62 is energized again, whereupon the pawl 64 advances the cam wheel 61 another step, with the result that the pin 68 on the arm 37 falls in the notch 69. When this occurs the fly wheel 36 disengages from the plate 44, and at the same time the plate 50 at the other end of the shaft is carried into engagement with the shaft disk 47, thereby bringing the disk 44 instantly to a standstill.

It may be here pointed out that this invention is particularly useful in connection with a talking picture and that the apparatus shown may be readily controlled by electrical circuits controlled by switches on the film of the motion picture apparatus and that any number of talking machines may be used and controlled by switches on a single film; the solenoid 62 being controlled by the circuit closing magnet 94 which would in practice be controlled by a film or in any other desired manner. In this way it would be possible to make relay 94 sensitive and yet close aihigh power circuit for the solenoid.

It should be explained that the hand wheel 48 at the bottom of the shaft 43 (Fig. 1) is for the purpose of throwing the apparatus into synchronism, in the event that it has been thrown out of synchronism as a result of the film having broken. For example, as soon as the film breaks, the circuit through the springs 27 is broken, as already explained, with the result that the instrument comes to a standstill. However, it is possible that the machine will continue to operate for a sufficient length of time to permit two or three of the pictures to pass through the fire roller after the break. That being the case, the film will be out of synchronism with the phonograph, which comes to a standstill immediately. The plate 44 is divided off into sections, each corresponding to a picture on the film so that if the phonograph is three pictures out of synchronism with the rest of the apparatus, which of course, includes the plate 36, it may be thrown back into synchronism by merely turning the wheel 48 until the plate 44 has beenadvanced a space equivalent to three pictures. This method of throwing the phonographic record into synchronism with the rest of the apparatus may be utilized even while the equipment is'running. Sometimes it happens that the film is imperfect, and for that reason begins to run out of synchronism with the phonograph. The attendant then are running. It will be seen,therefore, that my invention includes an automatic arrangement employing the slotted film and the trip circuit controlling device having the wheels 11 and 12 through the medium of which one phonograph is brought into use at a time one after another, or several phonographs may be brought in together, and through the medium of-which automatic arrangement the stopping of any one or all of the phonographs is under the automatic control of the film.

My invention also contemplates the use of this automatic arrangement for starting and stopping any one or any number of the phonographs by the film not only after the reproducer has reached the end of the record, but any number of times before it reaches the end of the record.

It also includes an automatic stop arrangement under the control of the film for stopping the projector and the phonograph or phonographs in the event that the film. breaks or is burned in two, which arrangement includes the circuit controlling roller 25 associated with the aperture plate.

The invention also includes an arrangement including a spring drive interposed between a moving picture or projector and a phonograph drive to prevent the vibrations from the projector afi'ecting the phonograph apparatus. This arrangement in- 110 eludes the pins and coil spring band between the faces of the drive.

My invention also includes the provision of hand-controlled means including the hand wheel 48 (Fig. 1) for the purpose of 115 advancing or retarding the phonograph record, in the event that it has gotten out of synchronism .With the film, which syncronizing arrangement maybe carried on while the film and phonograph equipment 120 are running.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, a driver therefor, means comprising a magnetically driven ratchet for movholder for driving the holder, a brake for said holder, and means for disengaging said driver from said plate and for applying said brake to the holder.

3. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, a driver therefor, means for moving said driver into engagement with said holder for driving the holder, a brake for said holder, an electromagnetic means for disengaging said driver from said holder and for applying said brakevto the holder.

4. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, a driver therefor, a controlling device for moving'said driver into engagement with said holder for driving the holder, a bake for said holder, said controlling device also for disengaging said driver from the holder and for applying the brake to the holder, and a magnet for operating said controlling device.

5. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, a driver therefor, means for moving said driver into engagement with said holder for driving the holder, a brake for said holder, said means also for disengaging said driver from said holder and for applying said brake to the holder, said means comprising a magnet and a controlling device operated thereby.

6. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, a driver therefor, means for moving said driver into engagement with said holder for driving the holder, a brake for the holder, said means also for disengaging said driver from said holder, and for applying said brake to the holder, said means consisting of a magnet and a step by step controlling device operated thereby.

7. In a phonograph machine, a record holder, :1 driver therefor, a brake for said holder, a magnetically driven ratchet, and an arm controlled by said ratchet for moving said driver into and. out of engagement with said holder to drive the same and for applying the brake to the holder at the same time that the driver is disengaged from the holder.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 26th day of June, 1915.

'W. M. CLARK.

\Vitnesses CHAS. M. CAUDY, B. GARBER. 

